My yanmar 50 hp engine needs to be removed for repair. Conversations with Island Packet have not been helpful. I want to know how & what needs to be removed before the engine can clear the opening below the companion way stairs. Anyone with with experience pulling the engine on an IP 380 would be greatly appreciated.

I'm curious. I suppose with some boats could leave the tranny on, which would be faster of course. The only time I have done an R&R, we used the rig to hoist it onto the the dock. For that I removed everything , even the head. It worked so well, we re-installed it with the head installed.

I replaced the engine on my 37 and was able to remove the front of the engine compartment by removing the top trim on the galley side and removing the screws holding the front to the side panels. In the aft cabin there are a number of bungs that can be drilled out that cover screws holding the engine cover. Opening the engine front hatch you will notice a couple of bungs on the bottom that cover screws holding the front to the floor. Inside the engine compartment at the top port side there is a wooden cleat holding the front to the top, remove the screws. The front should come of easily. Hardest part is removing the trim I from the galley side. The whole job took less than a couple hours. Someone with a 380 advised me on how to do this.
Other people have taken parts of the engine until it fitted thru the hatch in front of the engine.

Most is us try to buy American but IP does its best to provide terrible customer service. This is yet another example. After my IP 44 purchase I contacted them many times with technical questions and failed to ever get any help. They have also failed to join the 21st century with digital operators manuals.

I am surprised about the IP 380 engine needing to come out and the lack of support from IP. BTW, IP is approximately 15-20min away from my work in St. Pete. I assume you have the boat in a yard or marina where you are going to yank the engine... Do they not have experience in removing engines? Rigging is a serious business. Whoever is going to remove it they better know what they are doing or damage can result.

I think IP as a lot of yards is not doing very well in this economy, sort of struggling along, not necessarily a full crew on hand.
Although to be honest, what did you expect from them? I doubt many there have any idea how to remove an engine, several I'm sure know how to install one in a boat in build, but that of course is completely different than removal as I feel sure the engine goes in before the furniture etc.
I've had very good luck with them finding a water tank level sensor, a shim "kit" to prevent rudder vibration and one or two other little things, but things like how do you remove an engine are actually outside of a builders experieince, as odd as that may sound.
Myself when the time comes to remove mine, I feel sure since engine access is so good, I'll strip mine to pretty much the bare block to remove the weight more than anything else

I was thinking of getting an island packet, Now I'm reconsidering. Do you have any other suggestion for a blue water cruiser 40-50 ft, with a long keel and cutter rig?

Personally, I would not let an anecdotal account of someone purportedly having an issue with an engine replacement steer you away from a purchase.

I am no Island Packet shill, never owned one and I never care to but it is stupid to base a decision on a single post, or maybe it is being based on 2 posts as that is how many posts the OP has on this entire forum.

Anyway, there are a surprisingly large number of ways to remove an engine out of a boat, I most always start with a 6' tape measure with metal 1' and 3' rules.

If your 380 is anything like my 38, pulling the engine out should be less than a 1 day job for one person, and require very little disassembly, actually I believe a 380 and a 35 are very close to the same boat.
I don't have pictures, but I can pull three panels off of the engine compt., and get to everything comfortably while sitting on a cushion. Having among the best / easiest engine access is a big reason I bought this boat as I'm an engine type of guy, just my upbringing.

Get on the Island Packet forum, I'm sure several will be willing to tell you what to do, but truthfully it's such a straight forward process that it's just a simple matter of pulling the engine, now I haven't pulled mine, but I've pulled many engines from Bulldozers to Helicopters and this obviously one of the easiest.